


Friends

by Es_per



Category: Mortel (TV)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Gen, Introspection, Kinda, basically I'm just dumping all my feelings for Obé, i mean you know he dies anyway, i will die from the lack of content so I made this, this is what happens when you listen to kalahari for 3h stright children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21564706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Es_per/pseuds/Es_per
Summary: Obé wanders between the human world and the one he's been trapped in, and every time his perception of mortals changes.-a dive in Obé's mind every time he appears in the show
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	Friends

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed to write something for Mortel, and I've listened to Kalahari by Take/Five on loop during all the writing and editing process so I think you should too when reading. Anyway Obé just wants friends but he's an evil spirit.

The clear sound of footsteps tapping against the cold concrete echoes through the empty town.

White trails of mist curl up and lick at his legs, his large coat slicing through them as he keeps walking. But to what end? By then he knows, nothing would disturb his pace, no one would call out for him to turn around, and all he can hear is the sound of his own breathing. The same scenery spreads before, behind, and around him, trapping him in its icy blue atmosphere and its concrete forest of buildings.  
His thick black coat doesn't shield him from the piercing cold, and the scales on his chest shine in the glacial white light of the lampposts.

Nevertheless, Obé comes to a stop. His red gaze falls to his feet, because he stepped on something. Or rather, something stuck to his shoe. He picks it up and brings it to his eyes. The thing that is not of this world is a missing poster. For Reda Kada, the soul that trapped him here.

And thus, Obé understands.

  
Finding the boy wasn't hard, he simply had to follow the posters. Sofiane seems easy to manipulate, so full of brazen anger. It's also easy to persuade him to bring someone else, all Obé had to do was mention Reda and Sofiane stopped even thinking.  
The second boy, Victor, is truly a perfect choice, and Obé can't help feeling a little proud. Surely his parents must see this, right? How worthy he is.  
But then, then, Sofiane can't fucking go through with it! And Obé's close, so close, he can feel it for Mawu's sake! And it's so, so hard to contain his smile when Sofiane suggests sacrificing himself.  
The seconds he spends on that railing, mustering up the foolish courage to jump, are torture. And he vainly asks Obé to swear! Doesn't he know spirits are fickle? It's hard not to laugh.

Obé wants to strangle him himself when Victor springs to catch Sofiane, but then Victor says those words that freeze him cold. And the only thing Obé is now certain of is that he can hear his parents' cackle in the cracking of the thunder.  
He's forced to reveal his inexperience and his lies to the two mortals, and he could swear Sofiane's lips twist in a superior smile.

  
The next time he sees them, Sofiane's got a box cutter and a slit palm. Obé doesn't waste time weighing pros and cons, he has to get another soul right now. He's going to give them the powers to kill.  
Yet he's somewhat surprised that Victor agreed to the pact. But Sofiane and him are bonded together now, and Obé isn't quite sure what that pang in his heart means.

He would be lying if he said he hadn't been keeping an eye on them. But only to make sure they're following through with their deal, what else? That's why, as the house falls apart in flames all around them, Obé materialises and yells at Victor to take Sofiane and get out. If they die it's the end for him. He can't make a pact with another human, the world has already drained him too much of his powers, he can't keep up at this rate. If only to worsen the situation, he has to grab Victor by the collar and come in contact with human matter.

And when he catches fire, for daring touching Victor, the painful warmth of flames somehow feels better than the empty cold as he watches them run away to safety together.

  
Victor bravely asks him to take back his powers. Obé smiles, baring his silver teeth. He can't help it if Victor is scared of his own mind, what kind of weakling has Sofiane found? Still, what an incredible display of power, he had no idea what that fragile human was capable of. So fragile in fact, that he still cowers whenever Sofiane grabs his arm. They're a match made in hell. Come on now, _Victor_ , if making friends were that easy you wouldn't be so alone... since so long.

He laughs as he disappears, back into the empty world.

  
They're in Sofiane's room, laughing and laying on his bed. They're having fun. Obé hates it. Just a few days ago Sofiane had his fingers around Victor's throat! They're not supposed to be having fun when their deal is still on the table!  
The boys don't appreciate him intruding, but he's not about to let them have it their way together. They do seem a bit surprised to see him without his glasses on, as if they've never thought his features could resemble a human's. To temper his rage, Victor meekly assures him they're going to kill who Obé knows to be the wrong guy, so he can go back home. That doesnt help, and Obé almost chokes on the bitter taste of his own saliva.

Caught up in the dim red light of Sofiane's bedroom, he can hear himself opening up to the mortals. But when they greet his intimate tirade with an embarrassed silence, Obé snaps back to the reality of it all.  
Sofiane and Victor on the bed. Him sitting on the desk. He can see it in their eyes, the wariness and pity, and that indeed he doesn't deserve anything at all. Of course they don't wonder where he goes when he's away, they don't _care_.

Obé hisses and they shrink back as he vanishes, leaving them alone. But two is still less alone than one.

  
Sometimes, Obé decides to appear when they don't summon him. If he waited, he would get nowhere. Sofiane is always easier to approach, and even more when he's feeling down.  
Of course he never asked, but Obé still feels the need to tell him about Reda. He collected his soul, so he understands. And if Sofiane doesn't feel like his brother is worth killing for, Obé will never go home. But it seems he's gravely misunderstood and Sofiane reads him like a book.

"You're trapped here, you're gonna die here, so you're scared I'm gonna leave you."

"But you won't."

It isn't clear who he is persuading.

"You're pathetic." Sofiane spits out, and he's right.

That day, at his house, Obé wants to retaliate. Who's scared? Who's alone? Two is less alone than one, and if Sofiane and him are the same he won't be the one left hanging. Sofiane knows about his parents now, he's the only one. Who cares about Victor, about anyone else? All he needs is Sofiane, and all Sofiane needs is Obé, in order to kill the culprit and send Obé home with Sofiane's soul.

Hervé was boring, he realises that now. Even before botching the ritual and trapping him there, Obé could tell he was of no value whatsoever. Just a dying, boring white man, scared shitless and imploring his aid. Sofiane is different, he's _special_. Obé hates and likes the way that mortal dares talk him down, his foolish courage and fiery anger. They really are the same. And Sofiane doesn't beg for his help, even when his brother's murderer is holding him at knifepoint.

So he won't allow him to be killed, not him. It is not by his death that Obé will go home.

He doesn't even register as his body leaves Sofiane's shell and moves on its own right into the weapon. The blade buried deep within him turns his insides into flames, a raging fire devours him from inside-out, but more burning is the incredulous stare Sofiane sears into his nape.

Obé vanishes into the cracking of iron-white sparks.

  
He doesn't rest long. The emptiness of this world has become more and more unbearable with each of his visits to the mortal world. The icy wind bites at the fresh burn scars and only seems to fuel the remaining ambers, threatening to set him ablaze once again. Obé painstakingly forces himself to regain some composure, but can't help leaning against the wall of Sofiane's bedroom.

Sofiane isn't thrilled to see him. Not even grateful. Obé supposes he could understand Sofiane's anger and resentment. But that was before, he open his coat revealing the remaining flames eating at his charred flesh, look what I did to save you!

"Get lost, Obé."

Sofiane's words cut deeper than the knife Obé saved him from. But Obé knows that's just how he is, always concealing his true emotions under violence and anger, because they're the same. Only he can understand, surely Sofiane must see it. But he’s not even looking at him.

"I thought we were friends."

The word is out, the word Obé's spent pondering on in his cold world, carefully crafting in his mind and rolling on his tongue, unsure how to toy with it without breaking it; but maybe he hasn't thought it long enough.

"Drop dead, Obé." Sofiane gives him a cold glare.

Obé puts his glasses back on and the world becomes red again.  
They made a pact, anyway.

  
This time, they're summoning him together like the first time. But Obé is done playing nice. They're two, alright, so he'll just wedge them apart. Writhing and clinging to the bathroom wall, he manages to spit out words of treachery. And he laughs as Sofiane shoots him a resentful glance before he vanishes.

  
Finally, Sofiane's got Hervé down. It's time, it's time! Obé feels his heart pound with each of Sofiane's blow. He's doing it, for him! Who cares about friends anymore, they'll be his in the next second! Who cares about Victor, Sofiane? Do it, why, why are you stopping-  
His heart sinks when Hervé rolls over and sticks the knife to Sofiane's throat. Obé can't intervene in his pathetic state. He stares, impotent and helpless.

Hervé's head suddenly jerks backwards and Victor steps into the room.  
Obé can't contain his relief and excitement as the boy flings Hervé across the floor and pins him against the window like a butterfly specimen. He can almost feel the weight of their souls in his palm, and the look in their eyes once they'll realise the deal is complete. So he is completely thrown off when Luisa, that bitch, pushes Victor aside and Hervé through the window!

His scream is almost indistinguishable from the pathetic man's as he rushes towards Luisa, seething with rage.

But then, then he can't move. And the bitch, the witch, starts chanting, and she's pinning him down to the ground, and he can't step outside of the salt ring he foolishly hadn't noticed, and the lights crackle all around him, and he collapses to his knees and he's _trapped_.  
Obé turns his head to look at Sofiane and Victor. They're standing to the side, unmoving, staring at him with faces he can't even begin to read. Victor is holding Sofiane, and Sofiane is leaning on Victor, and Obé understands.

Sensing his lungs filling with his last breath, Obé mutters to someone.

"It could all have been different."

The friends contemplate the ashes being blown away by a cold wind.


End file.
